A platform for the connoisseurs to indulge with the mesmerizing beverages and lip smacking global cuisines, access the information and review and interact at the same time. This is also a huge support tool for the Hospitality aspirants pursuing any Hotel Management Program or is a beginner with the Hospitality Industry.

Friday, March 18, 2011

Uncorkd enables restaurants to have their own iPad wine menu with a quick and easy web-based platform. Now, restaurants small and large can have an electronic wine menu that wows diners with a personal sommelier on the table.

Uncorkd is a new solution for restaurants, hotels and nightclubs to create their very own wine list on an iPad tablet. Over the last year, dozens of America’s top restaurants have been spending big bucks for custom-made iPad applications for their wine list to a great reception from their customers. Restaurants that have switched from paper menus to iPad wine menus have seen wine sales increase as much as 20%

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Out of a record number of nominations for the award, Wyndham Worldwide earned its place on the list for the second consecutive year, recognizing principled business practices, corporate social responsibility, and raising the bar for ethical standards within the industry.

"Wyndham Worldwide continues to achieve success not only for what we do, but how we do it, and this recognition reflects the strong values that guide our company every day,” says Stephen P. Holmes, chairman and CEO, Wyndham Worldwide.

This is the fifth year Ethisphere, a think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability, has published the WME rankings, which appear in Ethisphere Magazine’s Q1 issue.

“We are honored to receive this continued distinction, earned through the dedicated efforts of associates at every level of our company, who embody our culture of responsible and ethical practices in all that we do,” says Scott McLester, executive vice president and general counsel, Wyndham Worldwide.

Ethisphere reviewed thousands of companies and evaluated a record number of applications utilizing its propriety methodology through in-depth research and multi-step analysis, naming 110 companies that surpassed their industry peers to this year's World's Most Ethical Companies list. The 2011 list features companies in 38 industries including 43 companies headquartered outside the United States.

A sampling of other winners includes American Express, eBay, Ford Motor Company, Adidas, Starbucks, PepsiCo and Xerox Corporation.

“As companies strive to maintain a competitive advantage, good ethics translate into better business, and better business means better bottom lines. Wyndham Worldwide recognizes the important role that principled practices play in brand reputation, which ultimately is the most valuable asset for a corporation,” said Alex Brigham, Executive Director of the Ethisphere Institute. “Each year, the competition gets more intense for the World’s Most Ethical Companies and this year was no exception with a record number of organizations vying for this distinguished honor. Ethisphere congratulates Wyndham Worldwide on being one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for 2011.”

The methodology for the WME ranking includes reviewing codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories; evaluating the investment in innovation and sustainable business practices; looking at activities designed to improve corporate citizenship; and studying nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.

Read about the methodology and view the complete list of the 2011 World’s Most Ethical Companies athttp://ethisphere.com/worlds-most-ethical-companies-rankings/.

About Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
As one of the world's largest hospitality companies, Wyndham Worldwide offers individual consumers and business-to-business customers a broad suite of hospitality products and services across various accommodation alternatives and price ranges through its premier portfolio of world-renowned brands. Wyndham Hotel Group encompasses approximately 7,210 franchised hotels and approximately 612,700 hotel rooms worldwide. Wyndham Exchange & Rentals offers leisure travelers, including its 3.8 million members, access to approximately 97,000 vacation properties located in approximately 100 countries. Wyndham Vacation Ownership develops, markets and sells vacation ownership interests and provides consumer financing to owners through its network of over 160 vacation ownership resorts serving nearly 800,000 owners throughout North America, the Caribbean and the South Pacific. Wyndham Worldwide, headquartered in Parsippany, N.J., employs approximately 26,000 employees globally.

For more information about Wyndham Worldwide, please visit the Company's web site atwww.wyndhamworldwide.com.

About Ethisphere Institute
The research-based Ethisphere Institute is a leading international think-tank dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability. The Institute’s associated membership groups, the Ethisphere Council and Business Ethics Leadership Alliance, are forums for business ethics that includes over 200 leading corporations, universities and institutions. These groups are dedicated to the development and advancement of members through increased efficiency, innovation, tools, mentoring, advice, and unique career opportunities. Ethisphere Magazine, which publishes the globally recognized World’s Most Ethical Companies Ranking™, is the quarterly publication of the Institute. Ethisphere provides the only third-party verifications of compliance programs and ethical cultures, Ethics Inside Certification®, Anti-Corruption Leader Verification and Compliance Program Verification. More information on the Ethisphere Institute, including ranking projects and membership, can be found at http://www.ethisphere.com.

The US overtook France to become the world’s biggest wine-consuming nation in 2010, according to newly-released figures.Total shipments in the US, including domestically produced and imported wines, reached nearly 330m cases, up 2% on 2009, according to the report from consultants Gomberg, Fredrikson & Associates.

Champagne Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck have been bought by French company Societe Europeenne de Participations Industrielles (EPI), Decanter.com can confirm.No details have yet been given but Decanter.com can confirm that EPI will not split the company, and there will be no major staff changes.

The deal is reported to be worth €400m. EPI is taking on an inventory of 40m bottles and 800ha of vineyards,

EPI is the holding company of the Descours family, which owns a number of upmarket French clothing brands including JM Weston, François Pinet, children’s clothes firm Bonpoint, and men’s shirt store Alain Figaret.

The business is run by Christopher Descours, the youngest son of Jean-Louis Descours, who formerly ran the shoe retailer André.

EPI also controls Cotes du Luberon estate Château La Verrerie, which has been run by the Descours family for 30 years.

Piper-Heidsieck was founded in 1785 by Florent-Louis Heidsieck. It was later split into three different entities, the others being Heidsieck Monopole and Charles Heidsieck.

Together they are some of the world's best-known - and most-awarded - Champagne brands.

Piper-Heidsieck and Charles Heidsieck won more than 20 medals in the 2010 Decanter World Wine Awards, including five regional trophies.NE

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Acidity
The presence of natural fruit acids that lend a tart, crisp taste to wineAroma
Smells in wine that originate from the grapeAstringent
Bitter; gives a drying sensation in the mouthBalanced
All components of the wine are in harmonyBarrel Fermented
White wine that is fermented in an oak barrel instead of a stainless steel tankBody
The weight and tactile impression of the wine on the palate that ranges from light to heavy/fullBouquet
Smells from winemaking, aging and bottle ageButtery
Rich, creamy flavor associated with barrel fermentationCharacter
Describes distinct attributes of a wineChewy
Wine that has a very deep, textured and mouth-filling sensationClean
Wine without disagreeable aromas or tastesClosed
Wine that needs to open up; aging and/or decanting can helpComplex
Layered aromas, flavors and texturesCooked
Wine that has been exposed to excessively high temperatures; spoiledCorked
Wine that has been tainted with moldy smells or other obvious flaws from a bad corkDelicate
Light, soft and fresh wineDry
No sugar or sweetness remaining; a fruity wine can be dryEarthy
Flavors and aromas of mushroom, soil and mineralElegance
A well balanced, full wine with pleasant, distinct character
Finish
The final impression of a wine on the palate; ranges from short to longFirm
Texture and structure of a young, tannic redFlabby/Flat
Lacking in acidity, mouth-feel, structure and/or textureFleshy
A soft textured wineFlinty
A mineral tone, aroma or flavorFloral
Flower aromas such as rose petals, violets, gardenia or honeysuckleFruity
Obvious fruit aromas and flavors; not to be confused with sweet flavors such as berries, cherries and citrusFull-Bodied
Rich, mouth filling, weighty-textured wineGrassy
Aromas and flavors of fresh cut grass or fresh herbsGreen
Unripe, tart flavorsHard
Texture and structure that hinders flavorHerbaceous
Grassy, vegetable tones and aromasLean
Wine is thin and tastes more acidic than fruityLegs
Teardrop impressions of alcohol weightiness that are visible on the inside edges of a wine glassLight-Bodied
A wine with delicate flavors, texture and aromasLively
Young, fruity and vivacious flavorMalolactic
Conversion of hard, malic acid (green apple flavors) in wine to soft, lactic acid (rich, butter flavors)Medium-Bodied
A wine with solid, but not rich weight and textureNose
The smell of a wine; aromaOak
Aromas and flavors contributed during barrel fermentation and/or aging such as vanilla, caramel, chocolate, smoke, spice or toastOff-Dry (Semi-dry)
Very low levels of residual sugar remaining in the wineRich
Weighty flavors and textureRound
Smooth flavors and texture; well-balancedSmoky/Toasty
Aromas of smoke and toast imparted by fired barrelsSweet
Wines that have a higher concentration of sugar after fermentationTannin
A drying, astringent sensation on the palate that is generally associated with heavier red winesTerroir
French word reflecting the expression of soil, topography and climate in a wineThin
Wine is unpleasantly watery and lacks flavor and textureVegetal
Herbal, weedy aromas and flavorsVelvety
Smooth-textured with deep, rich aromas and flavorsVintage
Year that grapes were harvested and fermented to make a wine

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Lager
The word lager is derived from the German verb “lagern”, which means: to store. During the late middle ages, before the days of refrigeration, fermentation was a hit-or-miss affair, especially during the hot summer months. To ensure a supply of beer for the summer, brewers in the Bavarian Alps stored kegs of spring brew in icy mountain caves. As the beer slowly aged, the yeast settled, creating a drink that was dark but clear and sparkling with a crisper, more delicate flavour. In 1842, lager acquired its familiar golden colour when a brewery in Pilsen, Czechoslovakia perfected a pale, bottom-fermented version of the beer. Lagers typically take more time to brew and are aged longer than ales. Lagers are best enjoyed at cooler-than-room temperature.Bock Beer
The other bottom-fermented beer is bock, named for the famous medieval German brewing town of Einbeck. Heavier than lager and darkened by high-coloured malts, bock is traditionally brewed in the winter for drinking during the spring.Ale
Although the term covers a fascinating variety of styles, all ales share certain characteristics. Top-fermentation and the inclusion of more hops in the wort gives these beers a distinctive fruitiness, acidity and a pleasantly-bitter seasoning. All ales typically take less time to brew and age then lagers and have a more assertive, individual personality, though their alcoholic strength may be the same. Ales are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly warmer.Porter and Stout
Whether dry or sweet, flavoured with roasted malt barley, oats or certain sugars, stouts and porters are characterized by darkness and depth. Both types of beer are delicious with hearty meat stews and surprisingly good with shellfish. The pairing of oysters and stout has long been acknowledged as one of the world's great gastronomic marriages.Dry
“Dry” refers to the amount of residual sugar left in a beer following fermentation. This type of beer is fermented for longer than normal brews so that practically all of the residual sugar is converted into alcohol. The result is a beer which consumers describe as having a crisp flavour, clean finish and very little aftertaste.

Brewing is fundamentally a natural process. The art and science of brewing lies in converting natural food materials into a pure, pleasing beverage. Although great strides have been made with the techniques for achieving high-quality production, beer today is still a beverage brewed from natural products in a traditional way. Although the main ingredients of beer have remained constant (water, yeast, malt and hops), it is the precise recipe and timing of the brew that gives one a different taste from another. The production of beer is one of the most closely supervised and controlled manufacturing processes in our society. Apart from brewing company expenditures on research and quality control designed to achieve the highest standards of uniformity and purity in the product, the production of beer is also subject to regular inspection and review by federal and provincial Health Departments. Substances used in the brewing process are approved by Health Canada. On average, a batch of beer will take about 30 days to produce. To be more specific, brewing takes nine and a half hours, while fermentation and aging combined take between 21 and 35 days for ales and lagers respectively.

1.Water
Pure water is an essential ingredient in good beer and brewers pay scrupulous attention to the source and purification of their brewing water. The water used in brewing is purified to rigidly-set standards. If it does not have the proper calcium or acidic content for maximum activity of the enzymes in the mash, it must be brought up to that standard.

2.Malt
Barley is used to make brewers' malt. At the malting companies, barley is soaked, germinated (sprouted), then dried and/or kilned/roasted to arrest further growth. During the period of controlled growth in the malting plant, specific barley enzymes are released to break down the membranes of the starch cells that make up most of the kernel. But these are internal changes only; apart from a slight change in colour, the external characteristics remain essentially unchanged. When the malt leaves a malting plant, it still looks like barley.
In the brewery, the malt is screened and crushed rather than ground to flour in order to keep the husks as whole as possible. This process not only prevents the extraction of undesirable materials from the husks but also allows them to act as a filter bed for separation of the liquid extract formed during mashing.

3.Mashing
Malt is added to heated, purified water and, through a carefully controlled time and temperature process, the malt enzymes break down the starch to sugar and the complex proteins of the malt to simpler nitrogen compounds. Mashing takes place in a large, round tank called a "mash mixer" or "mash tun" and requires careful temperature control. At this point, depending on the type of beer desired, the malt is supplemented by starch from other cereals such as corn, wheat or rice.

4.Lautering
The mash is transferred to a straining (or lautering) vessel which is usually cylindrical with a slotted false bottom two to five centimetres above the true bottom. The liquid extract drains through the false bottom and is run off to the brew kettle. This extract, a sugar solution, is called "wort" but it is not yet beer. Water is "sparged" (or sprayed) though the grains to wash out as much of the extract as possible. The "spent grains" are removed and sold as cattle feed.

5.Boiling and Hopping
The brew kettle, a huge cauldron holding from 70 to 1,000 hectolitres and made of shiny copper or stainless steel, is probably the most striking sight in a brewery. It is fitted with coils or a jacketed bottom for steam heating and is designed to boil the wort under carefully-controlled conditions. Boiling, which usually lasts about two hours, serves to concentrate the wort to a desired specific gravity, to sterilize it and to obtain the desired extract from the hops. The hop resins contribute flavour, aroma and bitterness to the brew. Once the hops have flavoured the brew, they are removed. When applicable, highly-fermentable syrup may be added to the kettle. Undesirable protein substances that have survived the journey from the mash mixer are coagulated, leaving the wort clear.

6. Hop Separation and Cooling
After the beer has taken on the flavour of the hops, the wort then proceeds to the "hot wort tank". It is then cooled, usually in a simple-looking apparatus called a "plate cooler". As the wort and a coolant flow past each other on opposite sides of stainless steel plates, the temperature of the wort drops from boiling to about 10 to 15.5 °C, a drop of more than 65.6 °C, in a few seconds.

7. Fermentation
The wort is then moved to the fermenting vessels and yeast, the guarded central mystery of ancient brewer's art, is added. It is the yeast, which is a living, single-cell fungi, that breaks down the sugar in the wort to carbon dioxide and alcohol. It also adds many beer-flavouring components. There are many kinds of yeasts, but those used in making beer belong to the genus saccharomyces. The brewer uses two species of this genus. One yeast type, which rises to the top of the liquid at the completion of the fermentation process, is used in brewing ale and stout. The other, which drops to the bottom of the brewing vessel, is used in brewing lager.
In all modern breweries, elaborate precautions are taken to ensure that the yeast remains pure and unchanged. Through the use of pure yeast culture plants, a particular beer flavour can be maintained year after year. During fermentation, which lasts about seven to 10 days, the yeast may multiply six-fold and in the open-tank fermenters used for brewing ale, a creamy, frothy head may be seen on top of the brew. When the fermentation is complete, the yeast is removed. Now, for the first time ,the liquid is called beer.

8.Cellars
For one to three weeks, the beer is stored cold and then filtered once or twice before it is ready for bottling or "racking" into kegs.

9.Packaging
In the bottle shop of a brewery, returned empty bottles go through washers in which they receive a thorough cleaning. After washing, the bottles are inspected electronically and visually and pass on to the rotary filler. Some of these machines can fill up to 1,200 bottles per minute. A "crowning" machine, integrated with the filler, places caps on the bottles. The filled bottles may then pass through a "tunnel pasteurizer" (often 23 metres from end to end and able to hold 15,000 bottles) where the temperature of the beer is raised about 60 °C. for a sufficient length of time to provide biological stability, then cooled to room temperature.
Emerging from the pasteurizer, the bottles are inspected, labelled, placed in boxes, stacked on pallets and carried by lift truck to the warehousing areas to await shipment. Also in the bottle shop may be the canning lines, where beer is packaged in cans for shipment. Packaged beer may be heat-pasteurized or micro-filtered, providing a shelf-life of up to six months when properly stored. Draught beer, since it is normally sold and consumed within a few weeks, may not go through this process. The draught beer is placed in sterilized kegs ready for shipment.